Pondering Virtue

Howard Radest, Dean Emeritus of The Humanist Institute and a member of the National Council of Ethical Culture Leaders spoke recently at the University Seminar on Innovation in Education. His talk, “Can Virtue Be Taught? Character Education Isn’t Enough,” delved deeply into complex moral and philosophical questions about virtue, aesthetics, dialogue, dialectic, teaching, learning, curriculum, knowledge, and values – blurring the line between teacher and student.

Among the most striking findings of the Seminar were:

The answers to the question “Why Do We Do the Right Thing?” should be framed as “ands” rather than “ors”!

Doing the Right Thing is a social act, not just individual (cf. David Brooks’ The Social Animal)